Ninety-eight percent of Pakistani pilgrims under the government scheme have been issued Hajj visas so far, state-run media reported, adding that the remaining two percent could not be granted the travel permit due to a biometric data issue.
Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operations on Apr. 29 which will continue till May 31. Pilgrims will continue to leave for Madinah during the first 15 days of the operation and afterwards will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.
This year’s annual pilgrimage will take place in June, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and 23,620 Pakistanis through private tour operators. The total quota granted to Pakistan was 179,210, which could not be met.
“Hajj visas have been issued to 98 percent of intending Pakistani pilgrims so far, while the remaining cases are expected to be cleared shortly,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Sunday.
Quoting religious affairs ministry spokesperson Muhammad Umer Butt, APP said the remaining two percent of visas could not be granted due to a biometric data issue, particularly for pilgrims residing in remote areas of the country.
“The Ministry of Religious Affairs is actively pursuing the pending visa cases, and the process will be completed soon,” Butt was quoted as saying.
He said the religious affairs ministry’s Hajj IT cell is in constant contact with pilgrims to facilitate the process. Butt said pilgrims who were unable to travel to Saudi Arabia due to visa delays or personal issues would be accommodated on alternative flights.
The official said Hajj camps set up by the ministry are operating seven days a week to assist pilgrims.
According to Butt, the Pakistan Hajj Mission has so far received approximately 14,670 Pakistani pilgrims in Madinah by Sunday. They arrived through 60 flights operated by various airlines from Pakistan’s major cities under the government scheme.
“As many as 11 flights, carrying 2,500 more pilgrims are scheduled to arrive in the holy city of Madinah on Monday,” Butt was quoted as saying.
Butt said the first group of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims who completed their eight-day stay in Madinah will depart for Makkah on May 7.
Pilgrims from across the world are converging in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, which begins on the 8th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar.
